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The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has urged the United Nations to hold Israel accountable and ensure the viability of a two-state solution.
Abbas made the call while addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) virtually on Thursday, saying Palestinians were facing “one of the most dangerous times” in their history after nearly three years of war in Gaza.
“What is the international community waiting for in order to protect the Palestinian people, ensure their continued presence on their land, end the Israeli occupation and implement the two-state solution on the basis of international legitimacy?” Abbas asked in a pre-recorded speech.
“In the Gaza Strip, our people are being subjected at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces to killing, destruction, starvation, attempts at displacement as well as a genocidal war that has created an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” Abbas said.
The Trump administration denied Abbas a visa to enter the United States for the UN General Assembly, forcing the Palestinian leader to address the gathering virtually from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
The United Nations General Assembly had earlier approved a special arrangement allowing Abbas to participate remotely after Washington denied him a visa for the second consecutive year.
Abbas spoke a day after a high-level meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, which launched a six-month, $2.45 billion plan to begin Gaza’s reconstruction and governance.
The board estimated that rebuilding Gaza’s physical infrastructure would cost about $35.2 billion in the medium term, with full recovery and reconstruction requiring about $71.4 billion over the next decade.
The initial plan includes 66 projects covering temporary housing, rubble removal, hospital repairs, economic recovery and other infrastructure needs.
However, the board acknowledged that implementation would depend on funding and cooperation from the parties involved.
The Trump administration’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza also envisages a reformed Palestinian Authority eventually taking a role in governing the territory.
Implementation of the broader plan has, however, faced significant obstacles.
Abbas urged the Trump administration to “lift these sanctions” and “return to dialogue and mutual respect.”
The US State Department said the visa restrictions were linked to what it described as the Palestinian leadership’s failure to meet commitments to pursue peace and actions that, according to Washington, undermine prospects for a negotiated settlement with Israel.
Washington also cited Palestinian efforts to pursue the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through international institutions, including legal proceedings against Israel at international tribunals.
The restrictions have also been extended to dozens of officials linked to the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organisation.
In 2025, the US also denied Abbas a visa, prompting the General Assembly to approve a special arrangement allowing him to address the session by video.
Abbas last addressed the General Assembly in person in 2024.
His virtual appearance comes as the war in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict remain major issues at this year’s General Assembly.
